Stargazing: Neteyam x reader

20. Scolding

Y/n's POV:

Earlier in the day I had seen Neteyam, Aonung, Rotxo and Reya go off for a swim and I had assumed they would have been back by now. So leaving the beach I headed to my hut to look for them, but as I entered I was greeted with what looked like a meeting of some sorts.
"You allowed this?" My mother spat, "You allowed him to bond with the outcast?" My mother stared at Reya, she looked petrified.
"You disappoint me daughter." My father shook his head, I could tell those words stung.
My mother noticed my presence and turned to me, "Did you know of this?"
"I had met Payakan once before when I got Lo'ak home, but ever since then I had been in the dark about their meetings."I admitted.
"You met Payakan?" My father turned to me.
"Once, but briefly before he swam away." I said truthfully.
He simply nodded before turning back to Lo'ak, "And you, son of a great warrior, who has been taught better."

Turning around I noticed Neytiri and Jake making their way to the source of noise. I gave them a sympathetic look before turning around.
"Payakan saved my life sir, you don't know him." Lo'ak muttered, making me internally wince.
"Lo'ak." Reya tries warning him.

"Sit." He said gesturing to the ground, "Sit." Lo'ak sits opposite my father.
"Sit down!" My father says loudly to the rest of us. I took a seat next to Neteyam, who gave me a small smile before turning back. We all kneeled before him, waiting to hear his words.
My mother paced the room behind my father, she looked disgusted.
"Hear my words boy." He said pointing to him, "In the days of the first songs, Tulkun fought amongst themselves for revenge and territory."
I had heard this story many times before, but the story had always made me invested.
"They came to believe that killing, no matter how little or how much of it, brought more killing. Now all killing is forbidden, that is the Tulkun way." He said his words slowly, calmly even.
"Payakan, is a killer, so he is outcast from everyone." He said shortly.

"I'm sorry sir but you are wrong." Lo'ak said simply, as though not afraid to go against my father's word.
"Lo'ak."I now warned softly.
"You do not speak like that!" Neytiri also warned.
"I know what I know." He said, as though to put his foot down.
"That's enough." Jake said angrily before grabbing Lo'ak, "I'll take care of him."
Soon after Lo'ak was dragged out of the hut, Tonowari nods at us, allowing us to leave the situation.

"Your father is brutal, but he's right too." Neteyam commented as we dispersed from the other two.
"He is, will Lo'ak be okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, he will get a bad scolding though thats for sure." Neteyam replied.
"Is it odd that I believe Lo'ak, he has no reason to lie." I said.
"I'm not sure myself, but I guess we have to focus to make sure he keeps himself safe now."

"Also, about the other night, I just wanted to say thank you for helping me, I realised I hadn't gotten the chance to yet." I said with a small smile.
"I'm glad we arrived to help you, I wish I hit the guy more though." He admitted making me laugh.

We headed to the docks to check up on our Ilu. Pearl seemed very excited to see me, clicking wildly and spinning in circles.
"Hey girl, how are you." I smiled, rubbing her head softly. She spun around splashing some water on me playfully making Neteyam laugh.
As we polished our saddles we noticed a hunting party coming back for the day, but I noticed two of them were riding one Skimwing.
Curiosity got the better of me as we headed over to see what was going on, my father was close behind me.
The lady who I recognised as one of my mother's friends was crying as she got off the Skimwing.
"What happened?" My father asked, getting past Neteyam and I.
"Her Skimwing didn't make it." One of them said softly to my father.
"Her saddle has my mother's bracelet on it that she gave to me when she passed, it's the only thing I have left of her." She said sobbing softly.
My heart ached for the woman, I could tell she was heartbroken.
"We can't use the Skimwings to check as they are too big to look through the coral." Another explained.
"I'm sorry to hear what happened." My father said, understanding the importance of the bracelet. He wore my grandmothers bracelet too everyday.
"Father, if I may, I could take my Ilu and have a look for it, the Ilu is swift in the coral." I said simply butting into the conversation.
"I don't know Y/n, you were recently injured and-"
"I am fine father, I can go."
"I will go too," Neteyam interjected.
"Are you two sure? It is dangerous beyond the reef." He said sternly.
"At the first sign of danger we will come back. I promise."
He looked around for a moment, first at the sobbing woman then us.
"Fine, but be back before eclipse." His serious tone of voice echoed through.
"I will call my father if we run into anything." Neteyam said, my father nodded in thanks.

As we prepared ourselves to go, Neteyam turned to me.
"Why were you so eager to go?" He asked me.
"I know what it's like to lose something close to you, and having that item to remember them by holds a lot of meaning. I would rather attempt to find it than do nothing." I said simply as I hopped on Pearl.
"That's an admirable quality I love about you Y/n." He complimented.
I gave him a smile, before we dashed away in order to find the bracelet, praying we would quickly before eclipse.
Being out beyond the reef was exciting to say the least. I felt alive and free and not at all restricted. Even though this was a dangerous venture I couldn't help but feel safe in the presence of Neteyam as though nothing could go wrong.

All that was on my mind now was finding this bracelet, and getting back in one piece. If that was even possibly at this rate..

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I feel like Tonowari would be someone you wouldn't want to get scolded out if he's angry. Prepare for a lot of action in the next chapter! Hope you are all well
-author out